Vertically adjustable bowling alley section



Oct. 12, 1965 A. E. BAILEY 3,2H454 VERTICALLY ADJUSTABLE BOWLING ALLEY SECTION Filed Aug. 28, 1962 A TTU/WM5 V United States Patent O 3,211,454 VERTICALLY ADJUSTABLE BOWLING ALLEY SECTION Arthur E. Bailey, R0. Box 24, Port Lavaca, Tex. Filed Aug. 28, 1962, Ser. No. 219,974 3 Claims. (Cl. 273-51) This invention relates to improvements in bowling alleys and more particularly it relates to improvements which provide means for readily repairing portions of alleys which have become worn down due to heavier usage in certain areas of the alley as opposed to other areas.

As is well known, certain portions of the approach to an alley become worn due to the sliding of the bowlers foot as he approaches the foul line. In addition, an area of the alley bed itself directly in front of the foul line becomes worn due to repeated blows of bowling balls being dropped thereon. These particular areas will become worn much more rapidly than other areas of the bowling alley. In order to keep the alley in satisfactory condition for proper operation it is necessary that all surfaces of the alley remain flat within a very narrow tolerance. The American Bowling Congress requires that flatness be held within 0.040 inch. Thus, such worn down portions of an alley must be repaired from time to time. In the past it has been found necessary to remove worn boards from the alley and replace them with new boards, or at times it has been necessary to cut out large sections of the alley and replace such sections. Where the approach section is worn, operators of bowling alleys have often sawed oif the approach portion of the alley and turned it end for end or else turned it upside down in order to provide a new surface.

It is an object of the present invention to provide means for readily compensating for fast wearing portions of a bowling alley. Another object of this invention is to provide a vertically movable section of an alley which includes means for elevating the section so that the alley may be readily resurfaced to provide a flat surface within the narrow tolerances required.

The accomplishment of these and other objects of this invention is more readily understood by reference to the following description and to the accompanying drawings wherein FIGURE 1 is a plan view of a part of a bowling alley showing the incorporation therein of a preferred embodiment of this invention; and

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged sectional view of the embodiment shown in FIGURE l taken at line 2--2 of FIGURE l.

FIGURE l illustrates a portion of a bowling alley 10, the illustrated portion comprising a part of the approach 12 and the beginning of the alley 14 itself separated by the foul line 16. As is seen the alley bed comprises a plurality of longitudinally extending boards 18 which, as may be seen in FIGURE 2, normally have a thickness greater than their width, and which are litted together with a tongue and groove connection 20. According to this invention a section of the alley which contains portions which are subject to most rapid wear is cut out of the alley bed. Thus, an opening 22 is provided in the alley bed and a vertically movable ooring section 24 Which is identical in configuration with the opening is positioned with a sliding t Within the opening.

The vertically movable section 24 is provided with a plurality of vertically extending bores 26 therethrough. Each of the bores is counterbored at 28 with the counterbore extending to the bottom of the section 24. Closely fitting within the counterbore 28 and in non-rotating engagement therewith is a nut 30. Each nut 30 is provided 3,211,454 Patented Oct. 12, 1965 ice with female threads for threadedly receiving a jackscrew 32. Each jackscrew 32 has on its lower end a foundation engaging flange 34, which may be rotatable with respect to the jackscrew, and which engages the foundation 36 on which the alley bed rests. The upper end of each jackscrew 32 is loosely received within a bore 26 and is provided with means thereon for engagement by a tool for rotating the jackscrew, such means being, for eX- ample, a screwdriver slot 38. A plug 40 made of wood or other drillable material is tightly fitted iu the top of each bore 26.

The invention may be utilized in new alleys, or old alleys may be modified to incorporate the invention. In either case, great savings are realized where the invention is used to take care of worn portions.

The method by which worn portions of the bowling alley of this invention are repaired will be apparent from consideration of the foregoing description. It will be seen that when a spot has become worn so that the alley is not flat enough to meet the close tolerances required, the plugs 40 are drilled out and a screwdriver or other tool is inserted in each of the bores 26 to engage the jackscrews 32. Upon rotation of the jackscrews 32 through the nuts 30 the section 24 is elevated. It will be seen that the nuts 30 provide means engaging the underside of the section 24 and support the section after this section has been elevated to a level higher than that of the remainder of the alley bed. Each of the jackscrews 32 is turned to elevate the section 24 until the level of the worn portion of the section is at least as high as the level of the remainder of the alley bed. The section 24 is then sanded or otherwise planed down until all its surface is at the same level as that of the remainder of the alley bed. The bores 26 are then plugged with additional plugs 40 and the tops of these plugs are sanded smooth to conform to the new surface of the section 24. Following this the surface of the alley bed, including section 24, may be reiinished in the conventional manner.

It will be apparent that when this invention is incorporated in a bowling alley the worn portions may be repaired many times without damage to the remainder of the alley or without having to replace portions of the alley. Furthermore, if the repair method of this invention is practiced so many times that section 24 is worn out, it may be replaced without replacing lesser worn portions of the alley.

Although various embodiments of the invention have been shown and described herein, the invention is not limited to these embodiments, but only as set forth by the following claims,

I claim:

1. In a bowling alley bed,

la vertically movable section in close slide fitting relationship with the remainder of the bed,

a plurality of vertical bores in said section, a downwardly opening counterbore surrounding each said bore,

a non-rotatable nut iixedly received in each said counterbore and abutting the shoulder formed by the upper end of the counterbore,

a jackscrew threadedly receivedy in each said nut,

a fiange on the lower end of each jackscrew,

means on the upper end of each jackscrew adapted to be engaged by a jackscrew rotating tool, and

a plug in each bore above the jackscrew.

2. In a bowling alley bed comprising a plurality of longitudinally extending boards fitted together by a tongue and groove connection,

the improvements which comprise a vertically extending opening in said alley bed,

a vertically movable alley bed section received in close slide fitting relationship in said opening,

3,211,454 3 4 a plurality of vertical bores in said section, a non-rotatable nut in engagement with the bottom of a jackscrew in each said bore extending from below said section threadedly engaging each said jackscrew,

the top surface of said section to below the bottom and surface of said section, a plug in each bore above the jackscrew. a non-rotatable nut in engagement with the bottom of 5 said section threadedly engaging each said jackscrew, References Cited by the EXamIlel' and a removable plug in each bore above the jackscrew. UNITED STATES PATENTS 3. In a bowling alley bed, 540,038 5/95 Wiggins 273-51 a vertically movable section in close slide litting rela- 10 543,141 7/95 Rieper 273-51 tionship with the remainder of the bed, 2,039,580 5/36 Borders 273-51 a plurality of vertical bores through said section, 2,191,439 2/40 Brookfield 273-51 a jackscrew in each bore having an upper tool-engage- 2,483,976 10/49 Hughes 273-51 able end within the bore and a lower foundation-en- 2,493,620 1/50 Cusano 273-51 X gaging end extending below the bottom of said sec- 15 tion, DELBERT B. LOWE, Primary Examiner. 

3. IN A BOWLING ALLEY BED, A VERTICALLY MOVABLE SECTION IN CLOSE SLIDE FITTING RELATIONSHIP WITH THE REMAINDER OF THE BED, A PLURALITY OF VERTICAL BORES THROUGH AID SECTION, A JACKSCREW IN EACH BORE HVING AN UPPER TOOL-ENGAGEABLE END WITHIN THE BORE AND A LOWER FOUNDATION-ENGAGING END EXTENDING BELOW THE BOTTOM OF SAID SECTION, A NON-ROTATABLE NUT IN ENGAGEMENT WITH THE BOTTOM OF SAID SECTION THREADEDLY ENGAGING EACH SAID JACKSCREW, AND A PLUG IN EACH BORE ABOVE THE JACKSCREW. 